Chapter 37:
Mycobacterial Biofilms

Affiliations: 1: Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261;
2: Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261

A schematic representation of distinct developmental stages of microbial biofilms. Transition from one stage has specific genetic requirements. This scheme was originally published by the authors in Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy (106) and is reproduced here in accordance with the publisher’s policy. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.MGM2-0004-2013.f1

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Figure 1

A schematic representation of distinct developmental stages of microbial biofilms. Transition from one stage has specific genetic requirements. This scheme was originally published by the authors in Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy (106) and is reproduced here in accordance with the publisher’s policy. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.MGM2-0004-2013.f1

Various models of mycobacterial biofilms grown in our laboratory. (A) Pellicles biofilms of M. smegmatis on air-liquid interface in a petri dish. (B) Scanning electron micrograph of flow-cell biofilms of M. smegmatis on silicon surface, developed against the shear fluid flow of 1 ml/minute. (C) Pellicle biofilms of M. smegmatis in syringes (marked by arrow). This technique is amenable to screening mutants that remain exclusively in planktonic suspension beneath biofilms. (D) Pellicle biofilms of M. tuberculosis on liquid-air interface grown in a 12-well plate. (E) Scanning electron micrograph of M. tuberculosis biofilms grown on the surface of a polycarbonate membrane. Images in panels (B) and (E) were generated with help from Curtis Larimer and Ian Nettleship from the Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.MGM2-0004-2013.f2

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Figure 2

Various models of mycobacterial biofilms grown in our laboratory. (A) Pellicles biofilms of M. smegmatis on air-liquid interface in a petri dish. (B) Scanning electron micrograph of flow-cell biofilms of M. smegmatis on silicon surface, developed against the shear fluid flow of 1 ml/minute. (C) Pellicle biofilms of M. smegmatis in syringes (marked by arrow). This technique is amenable to screening mutants that remain exclusively in planktonic suspension beneath biofilms. (D) Pellicle biofilms of M. tuberculosis on liquid-air interface grown in a 12-well plate. (E) Scanning electron micrograph of M. tuberculosis biofilms grown on the surface of a polycarbonate membrane. Images in panels (B) and (E) were generated with help from Curtis Larimer and Ian Nettleship from the Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.MGM2-0004-2013.f2

Biofilms of M. smegmatis(A) and M. tuberculosis(B) harbor higher numbers of rifampin-tolerant persisters than their planktonic counterparts. The frequency of such persisters is diminished in the impaired biofilms of ΔgroEL1 M. smegmatis. Data in panel (B) were originally published in Molecular Microbiology (78) and reproduced here in accordance with the publisher’s policy. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.MGM2-0004-2013.f4

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Figure 4

Biofilms of M. smegmatis(A) and M. tuberculosis(B) harbor higher numbers of rifampin-tolerant persisters than their planktonic counterparts. The frequency of such persisters is diminished in the impaired biofilms of ΔgroEL1 M. smegmatis. Data in panel (B) were originally published in Molecular Microbiology (78) and reproduced here in accordance with the publisher’s policy. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.MGM2-0004-2013.f4

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